06 Dream Snare

The weather was slowly warming. The snow had melted and the ground had finally thawed. Spring was around the corner, Hisana mused happily to herself as she took a stroll about the Seireitei. There was a bounce in her step as she wound her way through the shopping district. The shiny gewgaws, fine silks, beautiful scrolls, and lacquered combs never ceased to intrigue her. She could spend hours hungrily examining the items. Sure, some of the trinkets were better crafted than others of their kinds, and the prices often reflected the skill required to make such products.

Hisana never bought any of the ornaments she fancied. Perhaps years of self-denial prompted by poverty had taught her not to need or want for much. She was a minimalist by trade and perhaps by nature. She had come to believe that her husband, too, was more ascetic than frivolous in demeanor.

Carefully, she weaved her way past the buskers, various kiosks, and merchants. Her eyes were greedily taking in the merchandise as she listened to the badinage occurring between the ware-sellers and their customers. Over-eager merchants would throw out casual tarradiddles in order to draw attention to their goods. The market was extraordinary lively, Hisana thought to herself as she sifted through a pile of the most expensive "half-priced" items she had ever seen in her life.

'There must be a festival or something on the way…' she mused to herself as she passed a few stands. 'Wonder what it could be?' Escaping into herself as she thought the question over, Hisana paused instinctively. She glanced over to her right to examine what had seemingly caught her attention. Hanging from the door of one of the shops were three unusual metallic trinkets. Each of the ornaments was fashioned into a large circular spiderweb from silver. Dangling from the largest spiderweb were smaller silver spiderwebs. They made a lovely chiming sound when the wind disturbed them.

"See something you like, milady?" It took Hisana a moment to comprehend that the question was directed at her. When realization struck, however, she turned to address the female vendor.

"Oh, yes, those hanging in your doorway are very curious-looking. May I ask: What are they?" Trying to hide the fact that she was taken off-guard, Hisana quickly lowered her head and nervously flattened any wrinkles in her kimono as she asked the question.

"You must have very recherché taste," the woman began in a canorous voice.

Hisana lifted a brow at the observation. She knew she looked more like a mendicant than a noble, and was quick to discern the mendaciousness in the woman's statement.

Either oblivious to or ignoring Hisana's discriminating state, the woman continued. "It is a dream catcher. Come," she said, pleasantly gesturing for Hisana to come closer to inspect the dream catcher. She nimbly plucked down the smaller and more delicate of the three, and motioned for Hisana to take it.

"It is very lovely," Hisana responded. She had to admit that the dream catcher was appealing. With gentle hands, she held the ornament warily. "Why such a name?" she asked, turning her attention back to the female vendor.

"It is believed that if one places it above where they sleep it will catch any bad dreams."

Hisana smiled at the thought. "That is a very pretty notion," she replied, handing the ornament back.

"Oh, it is more than that, milady. It is true! Buy one and see."

Not even allowing herself to entertain such an absurd and superstitious idea, Hisana bowed politely. "Thank you for your time."

As she walked away from the merchant, she pulled her haori tightly around her chest. For some strange reason the woman's words nagged at her thoughts. It was silly, she had to admit. Nothing sold at such an ordinary store could possess such extraordinary powers. But…

She shook her head at the mere suggestion. It was true that Byakuya had been rather restless as of late. She knew he would, at times, awaken sweaty and alarmed in the middle of the night. She was usually still awake due to the pain caused by her illness, but she would never let on that she knew of his troubles. Instead, she would feign slumber and wait for him to settle down next to her. Then, she would wonder what the cause was behind his nightmares. In her mind's eye she would go over what was murmured when he woke and what he did. While she could never comprehend what he said at those times, she was certain that his gaze would trail over to his sword, Senbonzakura, which lay resting in its scabbard. She wondered if his nightmares had anything to do with his zanpakutō…

'He'd think it silly,' she mused, casting her former thoughts aside. But before she could resist, Hisana had turned to glimpse the merchant and her wares once more. "But maybe…" she whispered under her breath.

- - - -

"Lady Kuchiki!" Shirogane Ginjirou, the Vice-Captain of the Six Division, greeted. The man appeared a little taken aback by her sudden appearance. "What can I do for you?" he asked, trying to hide his alarm.

Hisana smiled warmly. "Vice-Captain, if it wouldn't be too inconvenient – "

"Oh, it wouldn't! Please, tell me what I can do?" he interrupted.

Hisana lowered her gaze shyly. "Could you give this package to Lord Byakuya?" she asked, diffidently handing him a small wrapped parcel.

"Oh, yes, ma'am. I'll see to it Captain Kuchiki receives it," he said, examining the package.

Hisana bowed politely and was just about to turn around when she was stopped by the sound of the Vice-Captain's voice.

"Lady Kuchiki," he began, "The Captain is not in right now. He is currently attending a meeting."

Hisana turned to face Shirogane, and lifted her gaze to meet his. "Yes," she said, wishing for him to elaborate more on the perceived problem.

"Oh, it's just that I doubt he will be in his office to receive it today—is all."

She smiled and nodded her head. "That is alright." Once more she bowed before excusing herself.

- - - -

"Lord Kuchiki you look ill. Is everything alright, Milord?" Kishu, Byakuya's trusted steward, asked upon receiving his master late that night.

Byakuya trudged past his faithful servant without as much as a passing glance. Either he was offended by the question and its implications (that he looked to be in poor condition) or he was too exhausted to give a reply. Kishu was banking on the latter…

"How is Lady Hisana?" Byakuya asked, trying to speak without betraying the tiredness he was feeling.

"She is inordinately well, I would say. She went to Rukongai in search of her sister as usual." Kishu waited for his lord's posture to straighten before continuing. "Then, she dismissed Ito and carried on about the shopping district of the Seireitei for quite some time. She returned only moments before you, sir, and she appears to be the one in better humor."

Byakuya remained silent – deathly silent – as he listened to his steward's account. When he thought the man's spiel had reached its conclusion, Byakuya turned his head only slightly to shoot him a sidelong glare. "That is all," he said dismissively before making way towards his quarters.

Once he had reached his chambers, he settled into his nightly routine. He first shed his captain's robe, then his scarf, then his kenseikan, and finally… He had just withdrawn Senbonzakura, sheath and all, from its place at his obi when he felt the need to pause and examine his zanpakutō.

Gently, he pulled back the sheath, revealing the sword's glistening metallic edge. "Senbonzakura," he whispered softly to himself. "Why do you…?" He grimaced slightly before finishing his thought, and placed the zanpakutō down.

"How are you feeling?" he asked knowingly.

Hisana smiled at her husband's perceptiveness, and slid the door back further. "Kishu sent me."

Byakuya's brows lowered in response for he had not requested Kishu to send his wife. "How was your search?"

Hisana sat in seiza just behind the threshold to his room. Judging by the tone in his voice, she could tell her husband was in low spirits. "It was…" she trailed off in thought; her heart ached for her sister. "How was your day, if I may inquire?" she digressed in a meek voice.

Byakuya remained with his back toward her, and took a few steps forward toward his desk. "It was…" he responded tiredly.

She smiled. "Busy?" she added.

He turned his head slightly to glimpse her. She was sitting so chastely just outside his room as if they were but mere strangers. Her hands were tucked neatly in her lap, and her head was bowed subserviently. Perhaps, his dark mood was frightfully obvious? Perhaps, Kishu had warned Hisana of his state before sending her to him?

"Yes," he responded.

An oppressive silence shortly blanketed the room, but was quickly broken by Hisana. "Dinner will be ready shortly," she said politely, before fingering the door to slide it shut. "You seem preoccupied; I will leave you to your privacy."

"Stay," he said softly before she had the chance to leave.

- - - -

Hisana struggled to get to sleep. For some reason, the pain seemed to intensify at night. She had long concluded that this increase in pain was due to the fact that at night she was not nearly as distracted from it. At night, she had to come face to face with the illness she had been trying to smother out of existence.

Adjusting her weight carefully so that it would not trouble her throbbing head, Hisana finally found a position that eased her pain. She was just about to drift off to sleep when she found herself on the receiving end of a limb to her face.

She aired a frustrated, "Umpf," from her side of the futon. Groggy and bleary-eyed, she rolled over on her other side.

'Music?' Hisana furrowed her brow and tried to focus her vision. It sounded like a low soft lament.

'It sounds like it's crying…' She reflexively shot up to a sitting position, and tried to locate from where the sound was coming. 'I must be losing it…' she thought to herself, 'because it can't be… Can it?'

Hisana narrowed her gaze, having perceived a faint glow. 'Senbonzakura?'

The lament grew louder when she focused her attention on the sword. Gently bending at the hip, she leaned forward on the futon and cocked her head to the side. 'Like a thousand sorrowful voices…'

Propping herself on her hands and knees, Hisana crawled forward on her mission to discern what was being said. Her efforts, however, came to an abrupt halt when she felt a warm pressure grip her right ankle. "Ugh?" she murmured aloud, glancing behind her.

"Lay," Byakuya's hoarse voice ordered.

Hisana positioned herself into seiza and turned her attention to her tired husband. "Don't you hear it?" she asked, hoping against hope that she hadn't lost complete control of her mental faculties.

"What do you mean?" he asked; his voice was at once faint and gravelly.

Hisana knitted her brows together before glancing back at Senbonzakura.

The singing had ceased and the sword no longer radiated a pale sheen.

Unsure of what had happened, Hisana hesitantly laid back down on the futon. She did not return to sleep that night for her pain had only amplified. At the first sign of daybreak, she slid out of bed, and dressed. Making sure not to wake her husband, she neared him and gently placed a kiss on his head before leaving.

It was a rarity indeed for Byakuya to be the one who woke up alone… After apprehending that his wife had left for Rukongai with Ito, Byakuya went about his morning ritual albeit rather sourly.

When he arrived at his division he was greeted by a cheerful Vice-Captain. "Captain Kuchiki, you received a package!"

Byakuya went into his office to find a rather innocuous brown parcel situated on his desk. It did not don any "official" insignias or symbols. He examined the package with a cynical gleam in his eye. He had become wary of such "unauthorized" packages since they were mostly sent from sycophants.

Grimacing, he went against his better judgment and opened the parcel to find a strange wind-chime in the shape of a circular spider web. "What is this?" he murmured to himself, unfolding the small card resting on top of the "gift".

It read:

"This is a dream catcher. It is supposed to filter out any bad dreams. Hey, you know I hope the superstition is right! – Hisana"

Byakuya gently replaced the card and glanced down at his sword, which was now pulsating ever-so-lightly at his side. The lines of his mouth sloped into a frown as he examined his zanpakutō.

"I wish it were that simple, Hisana…"